The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, has announced a major expansion of Nigeria’s implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) through a new strategic partnership with RwandAir for the Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor.

In a statement by the ministry, it was noted that before the establishment of the corridor, many Nigerian exporters faced cargo costs ranging from US$3 to as high as US$10 per kilogram for goods sent to East and Southern Africa.

The statement said: “This situation made the cost of trade prohibitive and reduced the price competitiveness of Nigerian goods. On Africa Day 2025, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment launched the Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor through a partnership with Uganda Airlines.

“This partnership provides Nigerian exporters with tiered and rebated rates of up to 70 per cent below those of other commercial carriers for goods exported to Entebbe, Uganda; Nairobi, Kenya; and Johannesburg, South Africa.

“Today, one year later, on Africa Day 2026, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is pleased to announce a partnership with RwandAir that extends the corridor to Kigali, Harare and Lusaka as new destinations and gives Nigerian exporters a second choice of carrier on the Nairobi and Johannesburg routes.”

The statement further explained that cargo rates on the RwandAir routes are set at under US$2 per kilogram for all five destinations, ensuring that Nigerian goods can access destination markets quickly and affordably.

According to the statement, Oduwole noted: “One year ago, we promised that the AfCFTA would work in practice for Nigerian businesses, not only on paper.

“We set out to solve a practical problem: Nigerian businesses have goods that African markets want, but the cost of cargo was too high. This corridor has kept that promise, and our whole-of-economy approach to AfCFTA implementation is yielding results.

“Nigeria’s non-oil exports to other African markets rose from US$150 million in 2024 to US$207 million in 2025. With RwandAir, we are widening the air cargo corridor so that more Nigerian exporters can reach more markets at a cost that allows them to compete.”

She said these results show what is possible when the government creates an enabling environment and businesses respond with ambition. The Honourable Minister also acknowledged the collaboration that made the corridor possible and expressed appreciation to the governments of Uganda and Rwanda, Uganda Airlines, and RwandAir, as well as Nigerian government institutions and private-sector stakeholders who contributed to the initiative’s success.

These include the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture and other business associations, as well as the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa.

Negotiations with RwandAir were led by the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment and conducted by a technical team comprising advisers from the United Nations Development Programme Regional Bureau for Africa and the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office.

This strategic partnership also reflects an immediate outcome of the cooperation framework established during the bilateral meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda on the sidelines of the 13th Africa CEO Forum in Kigali on 13 May 2026.

The Minister noted that the Nigeria–East and Southern Africa Air Cargo Corridor, delivered under the Renewed Hope Agenda, is expected to particularly support exporters in high-growth sectors, including agribusiness, fashion and textiles, cosmetics, light manufacturing, and processed foods.

It will also contribute to Nigeria’s industrial and export diversification agenda. The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment encourages business associations, exporters, logistics operators and other stakeholders to engage actively and leverage this opportunity to scale Nigerian products across the continent.

Nigerian businesses seeking to use the corridor can contact licensed freight forwarders or the Uganda Airlines and RwandAir cargo desks at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. Full details, including rates and guidance on completing trade formalities, are set out in the report titled “Accelerating Routes for Nigerian Exports into the AfCFTA”.

The statement noted that the RwandAir partnership will be formally flagged off in June 2026.

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